Author’s note: I first visited Dongdaemun in late September, but I didn’t feel I had gotten to see the area as well as I usually do when I write about it in the blog. I put off blogging about the area until I got to see it again, which I did in late November. This blog post has pictures and stories from both visits – don’t think that I was able to see all of this in one day!
Welcome to Dongdaemun – home to shopping galore both indoors, outdoors, and underground amidst the tall buildings that make up the heart of downtown. Once you arrive, your biggest question will be simple: what are you looking for? Even without a ‘to-buy’ list, there’s more than enough to see if you’re just in the mood to browse. The best place to start, however, is Dongdaemun Market proper – that is, the building that started it all.
With 8 floors in Dongdaemun Market, you’ll find there’s more to see in this one building than your eyes and feet can stand. Take a closer look at the picture (click for a full-sized view) to see the variety of things available in the building. When you get tired or ready for a change, make your way out of the market and back to the street level.
Street vendors galore await you for whatever you’re looking for.
A number of temporary restaurants line the streets along with a wide array of merchandise: electronics, clothes, shoes, jewelry, and much much more.
SOCKS! Virtually each pair you see is of a different brand or design. Why offer so many designs? Why not?!
For those concerned about eating healthy from a street vendor, consider the ‘melon-on-a-stick’ or the ‘kiwi-slices-on-a-stick’ – either one is a decent price at 1,000 won each.
Beyond Dongdaemun Market and the street vendors comes an in-between type of seller: the mall unit. Unlike American malls, each unit / block of space is typically owned by smaller businesses, who ply their wares and negotiate prices with whomever shows interest. Take the lack of a price tag as a sign to negotiate your price instead of taking the first price you’re quoted, though. In most cases, like stuff is organized – women’s clothes on one floor / side, men’s clothes on another floor / side, and so on.
After the market, the street vendors, and the mall, you’re allowed to be tired or bored of shopping for just a few minutes. Take a break just outside the Migliore (a huge department store) for some entertainment:
Most evenings on the weekends offer some sort of show or entertainment on a permanent stage setup to the side of the entrance. That entertainment may come from professional dancers or people just like you:
The Korean MC usually throws some sort of contest bringing average Koreans up to the stage. In this particular game, the contestant has a pedometer strapped to his or her head. On the count of ‘Go!’, the contestant tries to make the pedometer register as many ‘steps’ as they can until the music stops (about 15-20 seconds). Hilarious to watch – although I wanted to get up there and show the Koreans how it’s REALLY done…
Another more open-ended contest – something about hidden talents, I believe. The guy in the middle ended up being a singer / beatboxer / rapper / dancer – not the best in the world, but enough to give the crowd something to cheer about.
Yet another contest of sorts (on another night) – this time, the MC did a little choreographed dance to a popular Korean pop song, and the contestants job was to duplicate the MC’s dance as perfectly as possible. Again, the crowd seemed to get into certain dancers, even if they were following the normal choreography.
Doota! – one of the multi-story department stores in the area that mostly sells fashionable clothes – as well as the weirdest reason to use neon lights I’ve ever seen. I saw no discernible pattern – yet it was fascinating to watch.
A parting shot of the east gate of the fortress wall that made up Seoul during the Joseon dynasty. Commonly called Dongdaemun (Great East Gate) but known properly as Heunginjimun, the gate and two-story tower was originally built in 1397 and rebuilt in 1869. Today, it’s somewhat isolated from the hustle and bustle of shopping, which I suppose is a good thing for a historical landmark.
Come to Dongdaemun when you have some money to spend, some shopping to do, or want to see a somewhat tourist-friendly area that sees a lot of Korean visitors. At any given time you won’t see many foreigners – in fact they may be tough to spot. Take it as a sign that it’s still quite popular with the Koreans instead of becoming overrun by tourists 🙂
Visiting Dongdaemun is simple enough: the Dongdaemun station on line 1 or 4 of the Seoul subway system gets you to the area. Exit 8 puts you within a couple hundred meters of the heart of things. On the left you’ll see the gate across the street, and the shopping complex to your right. If you’d prefer to come via lines 2,4, or 5, go to the Dongdaemun Stadium station. The stadium is no more, but exits 12 and 13 will put you at the other end of the area.
